Mexican Food in NC-Toreros

Yesterday Adym was craving Mexican food so we decided to give Torero's a try. The restaurant looks a lot bigger on the inside, and the ambiance made me feel like we were in a TexMex Restaurant in Texas.

The first thing we received was our salsa and dip. The baked chips were a little different than I am used to. It was good. The salsa tasted like a store brand that was spiced up a few notches with fresh herbs and tomatoes.

As we wait for our food, I look out the window and take a snapshot of their outdoor Arena. They offer live music on the weekends. In fact, our waiter informs us that there will be a live band on Friday night.

We both ordered Margarita with a shot of sangria.It was very good! Definitely order this drink when here!

Adym ordered Carne Asada. It was really good! Very juicy and tender. Once again, I wish I had ordered what he did. LOL!

I always order beef fajitas when trying a TexMex place (or should I say NCMex) for the first time. I liked the presentation and that sour cream came with the sides. However, the beef was really salty and had a taste of shrimp paste. I also would have liked to see the onions a little more carmelized. I have had fajitas everywhere. I have been to Mexico several times so I know what real fajitas taste like. Although it looked good, the taste was not pleasant. I do not recommend this dish.

Overall, I might come back to try other things on the menu. The service was very friendly and helpful. With large serving sizes and reasonable prices, we got a bang for the buck. Grand total is a 3.5 out of 5.

Southern Season

Southern Season in Chapel Hill is a spectacular place for foodies. You don't have to live in NC to shop their goods. They have an online store. It is a diverse place that even offers cooking classes.


There are many entrances into the store since it is connected to University Mall. If you enter on the cafe side, you will be greeted by the warm of aroma of coffee beans. Your eyes will be pleased as you pass by the coffee section of the store gawking at the many choices.


We were beside ourselves on the first visit. The isles and isles of specialty foods is bound to make any foodie tear up with joy. They have a vast selection peppers, a gourmet bakery, fresh selection of meat from a knowledgeable butcher, teas from all around, gourmet candies, stationary, cooking gadgets and supplies, a section of the store devoted to specialty liquors and spirits, a cafe and restaurant called The Weathervane.

Two months ago was our second visit to NC and we ate at Southern Season's Weathervane. When we walked up to the hostess we were greeted and taken to our seat immediately. It was service with a smile. We were seated about 11:30 am, which is little before lunchtime. The restaurant had few patrons. However, by the 12 o'clock hour the restaurant was packed.




For an appetizer we ate Fried Chicken Livers with goat cheese cream, crumbled bacon, basil pesto, and diced tomato. It looks like a small portion but each one was the size of my hand. I have to say this delicious appetizer is a meal within itself.

Adym had Classic Club rosemary ham, honey-roasted turkey, applewood-smoked bacon, smoked Gouda, pesto aïoli, tomato, and lettuce on toasted sourdough bread with fries.








I had a Roast Beef Sandwich with grilled spring onion, watercress, and wasabi aïoli on sesame seed bread and a side of Moroccan Carrot-Raisin Salad.

Although the sandwich was really good, it was a little hard to eat. I also was not impressed with the presentation.

The restaurant decor has a sense of modern country charm. The restroom is connected to the store which needs a design update.

Everything was tasteful and the service was excellent. My favorite was the Moroccan Carrot Raisin Salad. We will definitely eat here again. I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Yummy Snacks

Last week on Tuesday Adym and I went to Grand Asia Market.
We bought Bun Boa which is muffin with meat, quail egg and Chinese sausage cooked inside. The bun is not as sweet as I am used too.
The steam them up and keep them warm in a wooden steamer. It was a surprise to eat a quail egg. My mom makes chicken eggs and that is the way I have always eaten it. However the Grand Asia Market made it up fresh and very delicious.

When you walk in the store, take a look to your left. Oh the glorious sweets.
Someday I am coming back to take advantage of this Asian bakery. Adym had to pull me away from the glass display to prevent me from drooling on the sweets.

We bought a bunch of snacks. Including this apple gummy candy.

I have to share with you the message on the bag:

"Every drop of fresh apple juice, carefully pressed from the reddest apples, shining in colors of the cheeks of a snow-country child, is yours to enjoy in each soft and juicy Kasugai Apple Gummy."

What a fantastic analogy. The cute pink cheeks of cold country children being compared to the red hue on an apple.

Here's the funny thing: At first glance I thought it read: "carefully pressed from the reddest apples, with cheeks of a snow-country child!"

LOL!!! You can imagine surprise. After I reading it again, I realized it was an analogy. I told Adym what I thought it read at first. We had a good laugh.

Food at home

Just sharing end results. After cooking for a long time you realize that the best meat is cooked to temperature. You watch Alton Brown with his fancy thermometers. Finally you get one (well actually two and they were both free thanks for birthdays and Christmas.) and your meat comes out to perfection everytime.

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Le's new cooking idea:

Chop up a large onion. Keep your strips long. Half of a garlic, minced. Put 1 tsp butter in a hot pan on medium heat. Place the chopped onion in the pan and simmer with lid until the onion strips are translucent. Remove lid and Sprinkle brown sugar and add the garlic. Stir occasionally. Simmer ingredients until the onions are slightly brown and caramelized. Transfer into a heat proof container. Let onions cool off and refrigerate for later use.


I have been cooking a large onion and using it on almost everything. It's really convenient.
This is what I have made:

Memorial weekend Cheese burgers. I cooked it on our grill that the apartments here have at poolside.

What you see here:
Lipton Tea with lemon garnish

Potato bread

Grilled squash glazed with EVOO and pinch of salt and pepper

Char grilled cheeseburger made with carmelized onions, sugar, vegetable oil, ritz crackers, salt, pepper, pinch of sugar, and garlic.

Cheeseburger topped off with bread and butter pickels, carmelized onions, fresh red tomato, lettuce, and american cheese.

Dinner from last week:

Caramelized onions covering a (beef) fillet mignon.
My fillet is over a bed of blanched tomatoes and spinach.

Zucchini and summer squash covered in a buttercream with pinch of salt and pepper.

My delightful blueberry drink which is two parts gingerale, and one part whitecranberry peach. For ice cubes I use a handful of frozen blueberries.

The spinach is soggy due to the fact that I waited too long to take the picture. I was also baking at the time. The cupcakes turned out really good. But it's not worth posting since I cheated and used a box mix! (oh, I am so ashamed for not cooking from scratch! LOL)

NC Bites-Hibernian Restaurant & Irish Pub

Lets be fair and say that if you go to a pub, get a beer not a Martini. My husband purchased beer which was good. They have a lot to choose from. I orderd a fruity Martini drink. The menu had a wonderful description and took me down to a dreamy path of fruity delight. However, after taking a sip I was rudely awakened. There was no garnish and it was just yellow vodka in a cup. I first thought to myself, [he's not] a very good bar tender.
Then maybe he was? The drink sure did give me a good buzz!

I took a stroll to the ladies room to wash my hands and the interior decor is seems to be hundreds of years old. So nostalgic. Smells of an old library. After speaking with the waitress, we find that the decor came from an old burned down church in Pennsylvania. Apparently the church was selling their interior decor which includes pillars, books, and benches. The Hibernian decided to use this for their restaurant. Being a modernist I can't believe it, but I like this old style decor. Must I say, it is very fitting for what you would expect to see in an "American style" Irish Pub.



Our food arrives. I order Shepard's Pie (image below) and Adym orders the Fish and Chips.
Like a little kid, I think to myself "yours is better (cross arms and pout)."

I have never eaten Shepherds pie but it was really good. Then I try Adym's fish and chips and it is the best fish and chips I have ever had. You just can not beat a beer battered fish.
This is what my foodie dreams are about!

What it all boils down to is:

Service: Friendly staff. A bit slow but nice and friendly service.

There was no hostess standing at the front and we had to wait. There was a couple in front of us and two parties coming in after. We were just waiting for about eight mins before some one came to the front. But once we were served our waitress was right on target.

Drink beer when you are here. Food: It's going to keep me coming back for more! The chocolate dessert we had was really good too.

Rating: It's more of a bar & restauarnt. So I don't feel fair rating it. I will say that the battered fish is a 5 out of 5 for end result preparation and taste!

NC Bites- Bonefish Grill

Did someone say Bonefish Grill? I have to RAVE!!!! The steak and creme brulee is 'fantabulous!' Every plate that comes out of the kitchen is colorful and asthetically pleasing. The quality of service, freshness and consistency is 5 stars.

I can not stress enough how excellent our local bonefish grill has pleased our tastebuds and senses. This is one of our new favorite places to eat. Thanks to Tim for the conplimentary Bang Bang Shrimp. We have been here several times since my first review.

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Bartender John is the best! Ask him to make you thirst quenching a rum runner.

Here's our fist bites at this fantabulous place:

(excuse me while I butcher the spelling) Mahi Picatta (uber flaky and cooked to perfection)with potatoes algrotten. Seasonal side complimentary with all dinner portions is a summer squash with seasonings. This is a special and not on the menu.*

I had same seasonal side with garlic mash potatoes and Talapia with warm mango salsa.
Every bite intensified my goose bumps.

Eat here. You will not be dissapointed.

NC Bites- 42nd street oyster bar

We are here in NC. NC has excited my taste buds!


42nd street oyster bar

Friendly service , FRESH food and ambiance with a sense of humor.

The image below is their appetizer of finger sized, finger food, hush puppies.

Deep fried oysters to the left.

We also had Cole slaw and a Cesar salad. Tasty! Everything was terrific. I love their food because it's always so fresh. If you decide to eat here you need to get fresh or steamed oysters at the bar and converse with the chefs. These oysters are the kind that linger in your mind a month later. It makes you wish you never have eaten here so you will not crave those oysters!!!! I love the food here.

Drinks and desserts, I can't remember (sadly) what it was we ordered. But the bar tender was very skilled.

Lastly, (I don't know what the men's restroom looks like) go to the restroom. They have the best mirrors in the world. One mirror has writing on it like "looking good or beautiful." I can't remember exactly what is written. If you need an ego booster and a laugh, read the writing on the walls and ceiling in the restroom.

Excellent service and fresh delicious food. 5 out of 5 stars.

Sunday Brunch at Home

Hollandaise sauce- Click on title 'Sunday Brunch at home' for food network recipe.
This is the best Hollandaise Sauce I have ever made. In this picture you see: Pillsbury's flaky layers (rolls), Owens maple sausage, poached eggs with fatty, delicious buttery, lemony, goodness hollandaise sauce.

If you are of age, the best way to finish this off is with Mimosa.

I also made this months and months ago before we moved. I am finally posting it. Gosh golly, I can taste it now... my mouth is watering.

Going Away Party at Fox and Hound

We had a complimentary party due to a raffle drawing. Malinda Selever was our event coordinator. THANKS MALINDA.

We had alot of food. It was all pretty good. Most mentionable was the pizza. It was crispy and hot. Yum. I did take alot of pictures but not take any food photos.

Thank you to everyone that showed up at our going away party, even my parents showed up. It was a blast. I was pretty soused to be honest with you. The next morning I hoped that I didn't do anything to embarress myself in front of my parents. I know I didn't dance on the table or anything like that. LOL!

Fox and Hound English Pub & Grille - Houston/Westheimer Road
11470 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77077
Event Coordinator: Malinda Selever

goodbye Houston! :(

Cajun Food in Pearland

Since we left town I have been on a blogger hiatus. Which I apologize since I have a few new subscribers. I am surprised and delighted that I have reached a foodies audience I have never met.

I just happen to have my camera this day and I never posted this place. O'cajcen is a small restaurant off of 518 in Pearland. If you have never been there it's a really casual place. The decor is one of a fast food restaurant. They have awards and praises hung all over the wall. The servers were really nice.

I had a combo platta. I can't remember it's name.

Adym had deep fried oysters.

I have to say that the food is good. Not the best oysters I have ever eaten. The oysters were crispy and the batter was good. Not over done and not too greasy. We have eaten here twice. It is in a convenient location if you live in the area. The important word in any restaurant is consistency. This is what you will get eating here. You can trust that you will recieve a good meal for a decent price. This place gets a 4 stars out of 5.